Broncos & NFL

Montee Ball emerging as a leader in Denver's backfield

Broncos running back Montee Ball runs through drills with running backs coach Eric Studesville during OTAs. With 559 yards, Ball will be Denver's top career rusher this year. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Somewhere on the insecure streets of NFL free agency, Michael Bush has more than 800 NFL carries and a few more days before admitting he's 30.

He is not a Bronco.

Ronnie Brown and Felix Jones are former first-round draft picks. Brown has more than 5,000 NFL yards, and Jones is fast and just turned 27. Know where these veteran running backs are hanging out?

Not with the Broncos.

"We're good where we are right now," said John Elway, the Broncos' general manager.

Bush, Brown and Jones can't be Broncos because they don't qualify. This is a running back club with a 23-year-old age restriction. The most experienced in terms of service time is Ronnie Hillman, with two years. The leading career rusher is Montee Ball with 559 yards, all accumulated last season as a rookie.

There are seven running backs on the Broncos' roster, but zero career NFL starts. We all understand running back is a young man's position. But the Broncos seem to treat 25 as the position's new retirement age.

"We look at Montee as one of our veterans," said Broncos coach John Fox. "We know he doesn't have eight years in. But in what we do, it takes a very bright guy to do it."

No NFL team writes up plans in ink, but traced repeatedly in dark, No. 2 pencil is Ball lining up behind 38-year-old quarterback Peyton Manning in the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

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Told the coaching staff already considers him a veteran in his second year, Ball said: "That speaks volumes about how much they trust us. That's very humbling. Speaking for the entire room, we're very appreciative of that."

It's not unusual for a team to have a second-year starting tailback. The surprise is not having a seasoned veteran to anchor the running backs' meeting room.

In recent history, the Broncos had 32-year-old Mike Anderson in 2005; Michael Pittman, 33, in 2008; Lamont Jordan, 31, in 2009; Correll Buckhalter, 31 and 32, in 2009-10; and Willis McGahee, 30 and 31, in 2011-12.

Knowshon Moreno was the old man at 26 last season — way too grizzled by this year's standards. At least for now.

"Everything's fluid," Elway said. "We're looking at different opportunities, but as we're talking right now, they've all done a good job in the offseason practices and understand what we're doing with the offense."

This isn't just about Ball. This is also about the confidence the Broncos' brass has in Ball's backups.

"Ronnie's made the biggest strides from last year in my opinion," Ball said. "Somebody in his position, he could have tucked his tail between his legs, sat down and said it's over. But he came back, and he's competing extremely hard right now."

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